Allexa Nava Quartet, Music Spoken Here, The Marr’s Bar, Worcester, 27/11/2025.

Allexa Nava - alto saxophone, Jai Patel - trombone, Cody Moss - keyboards, synth bass, Cassius Cobbson - drums

Allexa Nava sets The Marr’s Bar on fire!

Thursday at The Marr’s Bar saw the close of saxophonist Allexa Nava’s UK tour that gave us three West Midlands dates since starting in Bishops Castle for Clun Valley Jazz in September. My interest in Allexa was initially caught by her “No Language” EP, released on Jazz Re:freshed in February this year, from which this tour emerged. I’d seen Allexa play in the female Latin combo Colectiva at last year’s Brick Lane Jazz Festival and went along to her gig with tonight’s line-up at the same festival in April this year. She also happened to be on the bill for the one-day Jazz Re:fest festival at the Southbank Centre in London that I went to in the summer. So, having also supported her Clun Valley Jazz and Birmingham gigs on her tour, this was my fifth time of seeing the band this year. Perhaps I’m a fan!

Jai Patel (trombone) and Cassius Cobbson (drums) have been consistent throughout the tour, however Cody Moss (keys), who made his Worcester debut with us last October in Jakub Klimiuk’s quintet and was also in Allexa’s lineup for the April gig, replaced her regular keyboardist Emile Hinton for tonight’s performance.

The band took to the stage unannounced as resident DJ Moore Fe Jazz faded out his excellent opening set and a pre-recorded, ambient, Arabesque aural scene, with vocals somewhat reminiscent of the introduction of Sting’s “Desert Rose” was established, embellished by rumblings and tinkerings on the kit from Cassisus and Allexa’s wailing sax, culminating in a moment of silence before Allexa struck the match that started the fire with the bold, brash head of ‘Copy Cat’. Jai, who includes Trevor Mires (of TRYPL, who played here in January) among his mentors, wasted no time in establishing his trombone credentials in the first brilliant solo of the night, followed by a gorgeously expressive electric piano solo from Cody. Not to be left out, Cassius then got involved with a solo that was totally mesmerising to watch develop on the remarkably reduced set of bass, floor tom, snare, hi-hat and just one cymbal.

The heat was then turned right down as Cody weaved a dreamy electric piano introduction to “In The Final”, which Allexa uses regularly as the opportunity to introduce herself and the band. This time, she acknowledged this as a very special gig, being the last on the tour and also shared that she had injured her wrist a few days earlier, but was determined to see the gig through so would be “taking it easy a bit tonight”. Honestly, you wouldn’t have known as she then went into a characteristically busy solo around the delightfully simple motif of this tune from her “No Language” EP, for which there is also an official video.

Some deft cymbal and snare developed into another inspired drum solo from Cassius, settling into a 12/8 Flamenco-inspired rhythm, accentuated with syncopated claps from Allexa and Jai as Cody added a simple synth bass groove leading us into “No Time”, Allexa’s second single release. This featured Allexa using various effects to expand the soundscape of her alto sax in another blistering solo and another fluttering excursion on the keys from Cody to the backdrop of cymbal splashes and clacking rimshots from Cassius. Jai then piped up with his response in the form of another illustrious trombone solo before the band regrouped to play out the head with spectacular excitement!

“Recortes” from the EP translates from Spanish as “cut out”, the title inspired by the composition having the feel of two tunes spliced into one. It starts with a plodding groove and sax melody building into something of a dervish that transitions, through wailing vibrato sax, into a delicate electric piano segue before returning to a squalling saxophone and trumping trombone challenge to close out.

“For Those Not Here”, a ballad written as we emerged from the COVID pandemic, was originally recorded with a full band, but of the four takes recorded, Allexa preferred the more intimate feel of the duo recording with just sax and piano. That version made it onto the EP and was played tonight.

The evening’s performance had probably pushed Allexa’s injury further than she should have as she somewhat apologetically announced that her wrist was “on fire” and that the next tune will have to be the last of the night. A somewhat cacophonous introduction soon aligned into the persistent groove of “Circles / Cycles”, the first single from the “No Language” EP, which to my ear has hints of Herbie Hancock’s “Butterfly” in there somewhere. It featured a very laid back, mellow trombone solo from Jai and we were treated to a final impressive outburst on the slimmed-down kit before the band took a bow to rapturous applause from the enthralled audience.

Having seen this set play out several times before, I really don’t think Worcester was in any way short changed on account of Allexa taking it easy with her injury and with the support of her exceptional band we all enjoyed a very special final performance of the tour that I hope will be remembered as fondly by the band as by the audience.

The next notable date for Allexa is Tuesday 10th February, when she will be the first artist to perform at a monthly Late Late Show residency hosted by Tomorrow’s Warriors at the newly refurbished Upstairs at Ronnie Scott’s venue in London.

DAVE FULLER,
MUSIC SPOKEN HERE